Cigar lighter



G. BENHAM ET Ai.

, CIGAR LIGHTER Feb. `26, 1924. 1,485,342

Filed Dec. 6, 1917 .Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

rre s l GEORGE BENHAM AND MARTIN A. O" F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI; SAID BENE ASSIGNOR T0 SAID OIfNllAAn crean meinem Application led December B, 1917. Serial Ito-205,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE BENHAM and MARTIN A. OMARA, both citizens of the United States, and residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cigar Lighters, of which the following is a specliication.

This invention relates to lighters, and more particularly, to cigar lighters.

In that class of lighters in which the light is furnished by a Wick and a highly volatile fuel, such as benzine, naptha, or asoline, and where the wick is ignited by an lgniting l5 mechanism, the ignition of the wick is often interfered with by air currents which blow out the sparks before they can reach the wick, or vwhich blow the `sparks lformed, away from the wick. It is, therefore, necessary to either locate the igniting mechanism very close to the wick, which results in a liability of the yrophoric substance becoming wet by the fliiel, thereby interfering with its operation, or it is necessary to make the igniting mechanism of unduly high power. In either case, however, a draft is still liable to preventthe proper formation of sparks, or at least render the ignition of the wick uncertain and spasmodic.y Moreover, this draft is liable to interfere with theA flame, preventing it from remaining steady, as it should be in order to perform its proper utility as a lighter. s

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide a wind shield which .wiil 'shield and protect the igniting mechanism so as to prevent interference with the formation and kindling of a proper ignitingspark or sparks.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lighter in which the igniting mechanism, as well as the wick, are shielded against air durrents, thereby not only promoting the proper ignition of the wick', but also maintaining the lighting iame steady.

Another object is to provide igniting mechanism which is simple in construction, effective in its action, and cheap to manufacture.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lighter embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a.' plan, with the Shield removed, and with the top supporting part cut away to show the interior section; si

Flfgure 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Figure .Figure 4 is a detail of the igniter mechamsm in one of itspositions;

Fi re 5 is a view similar to Figure 4:, but showmgthe igniter mechanism 1n another position; and,

Figure 6 is a detail of the retainer."

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 1 vdesignates a base upon which 1s mounted a fuel reservoir 2 adapted to receive suitable fuel, such as naptha, and provided with a ping 3 'whereby this reservoir maybe illed.

ounted on this reservoir is a support 4 upon which is mounted the mechanism embodying this invention. n

.The igniter mechanism is mounted on the Support 4 between a pair of plates 5 and unit. Projecting through'these plates is a wick tube 7. Mounted adjacent the wick tube and on the late 6 is a hollow threaded tube 8 adaptedp to receive a suitable pyrophoric substance 9 which is pressed against a milled wheel or element 10 mounted forrotation on the p1ate6. rIhe pyrophoric substance 9 is pressed against the milled wheel 10 by a spring (not shown) in'. 'the tube, bearing at one end against the pyrophoric substance and at its other end against the closed end of a knurled sleeve 11 threaded on the-tube 8. By adjustment of the sleeve 11', the tension of the spring can be adjusted, and by its removal, the pyrophoric substance can'be removed .or replaced.

The shank of the knurled wheel 10 has attached thereto a ratchet 12 which is engaged by a pawl 13 pivoted on a plate 1.4 -which is in turn pivoted concentric with the axis of the knurled wheel 10. A spring 15 rotates the pawl 13 in engagement with the ratchet 12. The end 16 of the plate 14 is engaged by a retainer 17 havin a shoulder 18 in the path of and engaged y the end 16 of the plate 14 and attached at one end to the suport 4. This retainer is in the form of a eaf spring which is adapted to be moved on this point of connection so that it may be thrown out of enga ement with the end '-16 of the late 14 to re ease the same as hereinafter escribed.

y6 which'carry the igniter mechanism as a The retainer 17 has a projecting end 19 ara ranged in the path of a cam 20 and a plate 21 pivoted concentric with the plate 14. A. spring 22 yieldingly connects the arms 23 and 24 on the plates 14 and 21. While the plate 21 Yhas another arm 25 connected by the spring 26 with a post 27 on the support 4, a stop 28 on the plate 21 bears against the plate 14. g

An arm of the plate 21. has a downwardly projecting pin 29 arranged in the path of a lugV 30 on a resilient handle 31 projecting through a slot in the support 4 and fixed at its lower end 32 to the Vreservoir 2. The plate 14 carries a snung element 83 adapted to move to positions over and clear of the wick tube 7 as hereinafter described.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 2, at which the time the snung element 33 is in a positionrover the wick and at which time the shoulder 18 of the retainer 17 is in the path of the end 16v of the lug 30 with the pin 29 to move the plate 21 in the direction of the arrow thereon (Figure 4) against the tension of the spring 26. This will tension the spring 22 connecting the plate 2l with the plate 14 and will, therefore, place this plate-*14 under tension, tending to move it in the direction lof the arrow thereon. Movement of the plate 14 is, however, prevented bythe engagement of the shoulder 18 of the retainer 17 with the end 16 of the plate 14. As the movement of the plate 21'in the direction of the arrow is continued, the cam 2O thereon will engagethe projecting end 19 on the re-` tainer so as to move it out of the path of the end 16 of the plate 14, as shown in Figure 5. As soon as the shouider 18 clears the end 16, the tension spring 22 will move the plate 14 in the direction ofthe arrow, Figure 5 cans 'rying with it the pawl 13 which at this time engages the ratchet 12 until the lplate 14 is stopped. by engagement with the stop 28 on the plate 212 Thisf will impart to the knurled wheel 10 a quick movement with res ect to the pyrophoric substance 9 bearingY there-against, with the result that a showerof sparks will be thrown over .the wick in the burner tube T so as to i ite this wick, and produce a fiame. It wi l, of course, be understood that during such movement of the plate 21, the snuer 33 carried thereby has moved clear over the wick tube 7 and makes a shower of sparks. When the handle 31 is again released, it will be returned on account of the inherent resiliency, and the spring 26 will return the plate 21, and this plate 21 will, through the engagement of the stop 28 with the plate 14, return this plate to normal position, as shown in Figure 4, with the shoulder 18 of the retainer again in front of the end 16 of the plate 14.. It will, of course, beunderstood that upon the return movement of the plate 14, the pawl 13- carried thereby will move idly with. the ratchet 12. The snuer 33 will, of course, return with the plate 21 Vto a position over the wick tube so as to snuff the ignited wick.

Mounted on the support 4 in any suitable manner is a shield 40 preferabl inthe form of a shell or cup which has a ange -41 frictionally engaging .a iange 42 on the su port 4. To lock the shield in position; the ange 41 is provided with a pair of pins 43 engaging a bayonet slot 44 in the iange 42. This shleld envelops and extends over the burner and the igniting'mechanism therefor, and

has. top openings which, when the shield isl in place, are positioned directly over the burner and its wick so as to permit the Iiame from the burner to issuetherethrough. Thesupport 4 is provided with a series of draft openings 46 for purposes hereinafter described. The provision of the shield prevents interference of drafts or air currents with the igniter mechanism. The igniter mechanism is, therefore, always enabled to throw its sparks across the wick and ignite the same. After the wick is lit, the air currents will not interfere with it, but will rather promote the format-ion of a steady iame in view of the provision of draft openings 46, which on account of their position and the position of the iame, the openings 45 cause, by the rising heated air currents, a gentle draft to pass upward through the openings 46 and the openin 45, and since these air currents will be univ orm and in an upward direction, they willV cause the'flaxne from Vthe wick to be directed upwardly, even though a considerable ,draft may pass those openings of the device. This shield, therefore, not only prevents interference of air currents or drafts with the ignition of the wick, but also permits the maintenance of the burner in the best possible condition.

While this invention is shown as applied to a cigar lighter, it is obvious that it is of advantage for use in various forms of lighters, irrespective of the particular construction or function of the lighter, or the par- Y ticular construction of the igniting mechanism. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention: it is, therefore, to be uri-- derstood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A cigar lighter, comprising, a burner, igniter mechanism adapted to kindle said burner and including a movable element,

means for retaining said element against movement, an actuator yieldingly connected with and adapted to tension said element, during the initial movement of said actuator andv while said element is so retained, lmeans carried by said actuator adapted to thereafter operate saidvretainer to release said element, and a snuffer carried by said element.

2. A cigar lighter, comprising, a burner, pyrophorie igniter mechanism adapted to generate sparks to kindle said burner and a Wind shield for said burner and said lighter mechanism comprising a plate provided with a series of perforations near its periphery mounted on the lighter, and a shell removably mounted on said plate, said shell enveloping and extending over said burner and said igniter mechanism and having a top opening for the flame from said burner, whereby interference of air currents with the formation of and with the kindling action of the sparks is prevented.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures this 28th day of November, 1917.

GEORGE BENHAM. MARTIN A. OMARA. 

